Sloth didn’t press the issue. It was as plausible as his guess. If anything, Camilla’s being a shifter made the most sense.
Envy just wasn’t sure. He didn’t get wolf, but there were other rare shifters that weren’t pack creatures.
It would explain why her mother had left, at least. That innate need to roam, to keep moving. Most shifters who weren’t pack creatures found living in one place extremely difficult. It also lined up with when her mother left. Camilla had just come into adulthood, no longer requiring her mother’s guidance. If only the gods-damned woman could be found.
“Of course, if you simply do not wish to sleep with her, there are other ways of obtaining that information,” Sloth said. “I have taken the liberty to set something up, in the event you weren’t amenable. Technically, one only needs to see her nude form to look for any suspicious marks.”
“What have—”
“Oh!” Camilla burst into the room, then stopped short, her smile faltering as she took in the princes. “I didn’t expect you to be here. Is this… should I come back?”
Envy had taken his dagger out before he realized it. Clearly, his need to protect was heightened.
Envy stepped away from Sloth but didn’t put his weapon away.
“Is everything all right, Miss Antonius?”
Camilla bit her lower lip, the move signaling her hesitation. A flash of when she’d done that same thing in bed crossed his mind.
“I was hoping to find Lo here, actually.”
Sloth shot Envy a smug look over Camilla’s head.
“Why, exactly, were you hoping to find him in your bedchamber?” Envy asked, sharply.
Camilla’s expression darkened.
“Do not take that tone with me.” She glared at him for another moment, driving home the point that she was not his to be ordered around, then looked at Sloth. “Perhaps we should postpone my visit to the steam room. I find the idea of relaxing impossible now.”
“I’m sure my brother doesn’t truly mind. Do you?” Sloth asked, the picture of gods-damned innocence.
Envy was too riled up to respond right away.
This was what his cursed brother had meant about setting something up. Bringing her to his steam room? Envy had to mentally restrain himself from throttling his brother.
Sloth crossed his arms over his chest, his obnoxious smile growing as Envy’s sin chilled the room. The conniving sadist. His brother had played a dirty game, but Envy needed to leash his sin, lest he be thrown out of this circle. Again.
“Shall we?” Sloth asked, offering Camilla his arm, ever the perfect gentleman. “Unless you’d prefer some time alone with Miss Antonius, brother? Remind me… was there something important you wanted to ask her? Maybe you should escort her to the steam room in my place. You are looking like you could do with a bit of the treatment.”
Envy was sure he did look that way, thanks to his vicious brother.
Camilla did not make this easy on him. She raised a brow, waiting to see what his next move would be.
Envy positively loathed their teaming up.
“Get the fuck out, Sloth.”
His brother flashed him another victorious look before slowly swiveling to Camilla. “Alas, my brother is feeling testy. I’ll send some refreshments up. You’ll need them.”
“Thank you.” Camilla smiled warmly. “That will be lovely. Another time?”
A beat after Sloth left, an enthusiastic knock sounded at the door. Envy attempted to pull himself together, adopt his mask of indolence.
He drew in a deep breath and opened the door. Sloth had indeed played filthy yet again. The demon standing with a tray of refreshments was classically handsome and far too intrigued with Camilla as he craned his neck into the room, smiling brilliantly at her.
He gave her an appreciative look as he held up a robe.
His arousal hit Envy like a hammer.
“Hello, miss, I brought this for you and some—”
Envy hauled off and hit him, his fist landing squarely in the demon’s mouth, his jaw cracking like thunder as it dislocated.
The demon clutched his face and darted back into the corridor, his covered tray and plush robe clattering to the floor.
It was probably the fastest anyone from House Sloth had ever moved.
Without turning, Envy said, “You and I need to discuss some things, Miss Antonius.”
Like what secrets she was keeping and why.
Envy finally pivoted to face her, his expression void of warmth. He would no longer play the game of flirtation with her.
None of this was about passion or seduction.
This was about winning.
This was about his court.
And Camilla needed to understand that whatever had passed between them would remain in the past. His brothers were getting the wrong idea about their arrangement.
Others would likely follow suit. Namely, the Unseelie King.
Camilla’s expression was impossible to read. Perhaps she’d just remembered what he truly was. Or maybe she was unwilling to part with her secrets. She might even already sense what he was about to try to uncover.
“Sit.” Envy closed the door to their shared suite and jerked his chin toward the sofa. “Better yet, take off your clothes and put on the robe. We’re going to test a theory.”
THIRTY-FIVE
CAMILLA SWALLOWED HARD; her focus fixed to the demon prince, who was gazing back without an ounce of emotion on his face.
She hadn’t realized how often Envy had started looking at her with fire until it was replaced by ice. Perhaps she’d underestimated the control he had over his sin.
She certainly hadn’t expected this reaction from a simple trip to the steam room.
Envy had to be well aware that there was nothing romantic involved with a trip to the spa, a place of relaxation Lo had told her was one of the jewels of his kingdom. Disrobing didn’t automatically equal sex. Being aroused and acting on it were two very different things.
After the story he’d shared, did he truly expect her to run off with his brother?
She and Envy might not have any sort of relationship, but she wouldn’t be heartless.
Even if she had just overheard the last part of his conversation with Lo.
“Unless steam rooms are entirely different in this realm, copulation was not an option, you do realize that, correct?” she asked. “Out of respect for you, I would not have come back to this room to find Lo if it had been.”
His expression turned thunderous.
“How very thoughtful indeed, knowing that you would have gone elsewhere to find my brother, Miss Antonius.”
“You know full well that’s not what I meant. Why are you behaving like this?”
“I’m the one who’s behaving oddly?” he asked. “You seem quite at home here. In the Seven Circles, the Sin Corridor. My brother’s House. Why are you so at ease around demons? Do you not find that strange? I certainly do. What are you hiding, Camilla?”